Los Angeles Commission On Assaults Against Women

A new crisis telephone line for the deaf and hearing-impaired has been established by the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women. Although the nonprofit group's work is oriented toward women's needs, anyone can use the new service, said Claire Kaplan, the group's community coordinator. The new "TDD" number is 651-4610.

As the violent saga of O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson unfolds, men and women are flooding domestic violence hot lines with questions about their own relationships. "A lot of women are calling the shelter saying, 'Maybe this is as serious as I thought; that when he says he's going to kill me, it's real,' " said Jan Tyler, director of the Human Options Shelter in south Orange County.

Both men and women are flooding domestic violence hot lines as a result of the O.J. Simpson murder investigation. "Now, the calls are up 80%. It seems the more this unwinds, the more the phones start ringing," said Andrea Thompson Adam, hot-line coordinator for the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women. The commission's hot line usually fields about 1,300 calls a month. "The women say, 'If it could happen to Nicole, it could happen to me. . . .'

A new crisis telephone line for the deaf and hearing-impaired has been established by the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women. Although the nonprofit group's work is oriented toward women's needs, anyone can use the new service, said Claire Kaplan, the group's community coordinator. The new "TDD" number is 651-4610.

Consider two takes on Christopher Hubbart, serial rapist. State psychologist No. 1: He is a bright, shy 43-year-old man who is trying to control his sexual urges, and is truly sorry for his 34 victims. State psychologist No. 2: He is dangerous, unable to control his sexual urges and can be counted on to rape again.

The East Los Angeles Rape Hotline and the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women each was granted $125,000 by the state Criminal Justice Planning Office to expand services and work together. The money will enable the commission to create a second rape crisis hot line in the Central Los Angeles area. The East Los Angeles organization plans to increase its service, teach self-defense and rape awareness and to provide accompaniment to hospitals for rape victims.

The Violence Prevention Center in Van Nuys provides education, training and advocacy about violence against women and children, including domestic violence, dating violence and sexual assault. The center offers free training for community groups, social service groups and residents interested in reducing violence. Funded in large part by California Wellness Foundation, the center is a satellite office of the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women. It is located at 7555 Van Nuys Blvd.

Violence prevention advocates are asking Valley residents to wear jeans on Wednesday to mark Sexual Assault Awareness month. The Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women is encouraging Angelenos to wear jeans to work and school that day and talk about rape myths and realities.

"In Love and In Danger" was extremely important and well researched and well written. The issue of teen dating violence has been so hidden and ignored. I applaud Robin Abcarian for her coverage of this important subject. I am writing to add to the resources listed in the article. The Family Violence Project of Jewish Family Service has a teen violence-prevention program, based on Barrie Levy's curriculum, and it is available for school classrooms in the Los Angeles area. For more information, please call (818)